Lion Clan
The Lion Clan were the Right Hand of the Emperor, recording the military and political interactions between the Clans. They were the epitome of bushido and the very example of valor. Next to the Seppun family they were most likely to serve as the Emperor's guardsmen. They comprised the greater portion of the Imperial Legions. The Lion Clan was founded by the Kami Akodo. Disposition The Lion were the most militant and aggressive of all the clans, revering bushido and loyalty to the Emperor as life's two most essential governing principles. The Lion's rigidity and strict adherence to tradition had made diplomatic relations with other clans very difficult, especially the Crane and Scorpion Clans. To the Lion, an ancestor was more than simply a spirit of the past; they guided the current generation of Lions in their everyday life and helped shape their destinies. They were more than the Clan's past - they were its present and future. Military The Lion Clan army was widely known for two things: their ferocity in battle and massive reserves. Over half a million samurai, organized into many thousands of units, made the total Lion army almost double the size of any other Clan army, save perhaps the Unicorn Clan. . The largest standing army belonged to the Crab. The organization of the Lion Clan's armies reflected the level of discipline with which each Lion samurai lived their daily lives. Although their command structure was incredibly complex, order was strictly defined and enforced. From the youngest Lion bushi to the Lion Clan Champion himself, each and every Lion samurai knew his place and duty in the great war machine that was the Lion army. The most important distinction within the Lion army was between two families - the Akodo family, and the Matsu family. The rivalry between the two was clearly shown in the prime focus and training of the their armies as much as it was between their individual samurai. The Akodo Army The training of Akodo children was begun under the words of their house motto - "Duty, Honor, Leadership". These three words reflected the belief that strength could be gained when warriors supported each other. Most Akodo drills were designed to emphasize coordinated efforts of two or more bushi working in concert to maximize their combined strengths. Akodo bushi trained constantly to wheel and march on command, and to perform complex evolutions with speed and efficiency. While every other family in Rokugan relied upon tales of individual glory to fire the martial spirit of their bushi, the Akodo bushi knew that alongside his brothers and sisters he was stronger than his opponent. If he tripped, his brother would pick him up. If his sword arm was severed, his sister would step in and fulfill his duty. If his courage should ever falter, his ancestors would bolster him and fire his heart with the spirit of the Lion Clan. Flowing like water around their opponents' attacks, an Akodo army deftly sidestepped the opposing force and crashed into their flanks like waves from the mighty ocean. Ranks Lion samurai depended on glory to understand their place in the Celestial Order. To an Akodo, all men were sons of the first Akodo, and therefore were considered equal in his eyes. Their daimyo was the "eldest son", the incarnation of Akodo One-Eye. Other Lion had to prove their worth to this family, and thus earn their place in the hierarchy, rather than relying solely on birth to grant them glory. The Akodo were more united than almost any other family in Rokugan so this system rarely led to bickering and vainglory among them. When a soldier rose in rank, his comrades cheered and congratulated him rather than envied that bushi because of his success. This comradeship was part of what it meant to be an Akodo, and it was widely known and accepted that to insult a single Akodo was to insult all Akodo. The Matsu Army Bushi of the Matsu Bushi school were taught warfare through a series of brutal tests of endurance and courage. Each day was designed to drive weakness out of the prospective bushi, and to shape the chi residing inside the candidate. Bushi who fell were left to lie in the dust, so every student sought to prove his worth. The Matsu army included more of the Lion heavily armored specialized forces like the Deathseekers and the Lion's Pride. If the Akodo were the fluid, cohesive hammer strikes of the Lion attack, then the Matsu were the adamant and enduring anvil that foes broke their armies upon . The Ikoma Army The Ikoma army was mainly a garrison force situated on the western border of the Lion Clan holdings. While they could be said to be defensively oriented that did not mean they lacked aggression or skill, after the battles with the Unicorn many experienced veterans were in the Ikoma ranks. The Ikoma formed a secure, solid defensive network that allowed the two Matsu Armies and the Akodo Army to attack at will without worrying about their rear areas. History Akodo and Matsu After the Tournament of the Kami, Akodo went out in search of men and women worthy to stand beside him and protect the Emperor. Where a hundred others tried, often only one bushi stood up to Akodo's challenge and succeeded. Akodo's bloody search was said to have been criticized in the courts of the Emperor by those who witnessed it, and some proclaimed him a scourge upon the land of Rokugan. Each year during Hantei's coronation anniversary, Akodo returned to his brother's palace with no followers or brilliant generals to lead his waiting armies. Led by Ikoma and Kitsu, the Lion clan grew slowly. Akodo was not satisfied. The Lady Matsu, who was possibly the greatest mortal warrior of the time, had not come to be tested. When he finally convinced her to fight, the sky and the earth were said to have shaken. Way of the Lion, pp. 16-17 Forbidden weddings between Akodo and Matsu families The samurai of the Akodo and Matsu families were not allowed to marry to prevent the strife such a child would cause. There were several of such weddings, as Akodo Toturi's parents, but in such cases one of the spouses had to take the family name of the other. Way of the Lion, p. 64 The Lion Thunder When the first monk, Shinsei, gathered the seven men and women who became known as the Seven Thunders, Ikoma Jujinin, eldest of Ikoma's nine sons, stepped forward as a candidate. Before he could follow, the Lady Matsu struck him down with a blow to his face. She then stood before the monk with a fiery passion burning in her eyes, silently challenging any Lions to refute her claim to be a Thunder. None did, and thus Lady Matsu became the Lion Clan Thunder. Way of the Lion, pp. 17 Storms over Matsu Palace In 1131, the recently rescued Toturi I commanded Unicorn Magistrates to force the Lion to answer for their crimes committed in his absence. The Lion had been practicing maho, and the Jade Champion himself, Kitsu Okura, had a hand in the corrupting of the Lion. The Unicorn marched upon the Matsu, but were eventually repelled by foul arts, maho-tsukai, and Shadowlands creatures in 1132 in the battle of Storms over Matsu Palace. Hidden Emperor, p. 28 Feuds with the Unicorn In the middle of the 12th century, tensions between the Lion and Unicorn erupted into war on a several occasions. War of the Rich Frog Through shrewd political maneuvering, the Lion Clan obtained control of the City of the Rich Frog in 1165 by making the Kaeru family a vassal family of the Ikoma. The Unicorn retaliated with military strikes. The conflict escalated with the Emperor's edict charging the Dragon Clan with ending the dispute, causing a three way war. Most notably the Lion Clan Champion Matsu Nimuro was believed to have been killed by Moto Chagatai, the Unicorn Clan Khan. In actuality a clone of Nimuro created by the Egg of P'an Ku was slain instead. The Khan's March Following the death of Emperor Toturi III, the Khan Moto Chagatai felt the Empire needed a strong ruler. In the winter of 1169 he led a daring march through the snow, using Iuchi magic to elude the Lion Clan.The Khan successfully struck at the capital. After fierce fighting between the Lion and Unicorn, they were both pacified by the Phoenix Clan. The Lion Clan Champion Matsu Yoshino, the son of Nimuro, swore vengeance upon Chagatai, who was allowed to live by the Elemental Masters. There were many notable casualities of this conflict, including Iuchi Lixue, Kaneka and Isawa Sezaru. Fall of Shiro Moto In the year following the Khan's March the Lion Clan launched their counteroffensive, which roared all the way to Shiro Moto itself. In the Fall of Shiro Moto both Yoshino and Chagatai perished when the castle was set alight with them inside, locked in mortal combat. The fiery death of the Khan settled the Lion's thirst for an honorable solution. Other notable deaths in the conflict were Akodo Bakin and Shinjo Shono. Following their vengeance the Lion Clan has returned home to rebuild and honor the passing of their Champion and others. As per Yoshino's instructions, Akodo Shigetoshi became the new Lion Clan Champion.Words & Deeds part I, part II and Part III, by Shawn Carman Mass seppuku In 1173 after the end of the Destroyer War the Spider Clan had been conferred the status of Great Clan as part of an arrangement with Daigotsu, the Master of Jigoku at that time. The Imperial edict issued by the Empress Iweko I respect the Spider and the bargain she made with Jigoku was seen by many Lion samurai as acts that they could not reconciled themselves to. Shigetoshi allowed to all of them to commit seppuku, as a denouncement of Iweko's actions. Aftermath, Part 4, by Yoon Ha Lee Perceptions of the Lion Clan Nezumi The Lion Clan were called the Hert'chik by the nezumi. Clan Letter to the Nezumi #5 (Imperial Herald v2 #5) Details Statistics * Capital: Kyuden Ikoma * Population: 5 280 000 (approx) * Military: 292 000 samurai * Imports: Raw Materials * Exports: Copper Families The following are the families of the Lion Clan: * Akodo family * Ikoma family * Kitsu family * Matsu family * Shimizu family (now defunct) Samurai See Samurai of the Lion Clan for a listing of notable members of the clan, both current and historic. For the leaders of the clan, see also: * Lion Clan Champion * Akodo Daimyo * Ikoma Daimyo * Kitsu Daimyo * Matsu Daimyo * Shimizu Daimyo Schools & Paths Schools The following are the basic Schools within the Lion Clan: * Akodo Bushi * Akodo War College * Ikoma Omoidasu * Ikoma Tactician * Ikoma Spymaster * Kitsu Shugenja * Kitsu Sodan-Senzo * Matsu Bushi Paths The following are the Paths within the Lion Clan: * Akodo Elite Guard * Akodo Scout * Bishamon's Chosen * Fujimaro's Legion * Ikoma Elite Guardian * Ikoma Herald * Kensai * Kitsu Spirit Legion * Lion Deathseeker * Lion Elite Spearman * Lion's Pride * Lion Warden * Lioness Legion * Matsu Beastmaster * Matsu Duelist * Matsu Elite Guard * Tsuko's Heart References Category:Lion Clan Category:Articles with Pictures